2 Chapter Two - Stress or worse confusion

Meanwhile in an apartment across town

Tatalee rummaged through her drawer trying to find something to wear to work. She had to look amazing as she had a new man to impress. She paused for a second as that thought flitted across her mind. She finally had a man. Not just any man but a great man. A man who was everything that she had hoped and dreamed of for all her twenty odd years of life. She caught a glimpse of herself as she struggled to put on her short black skirt and leopard print blouse. She was curvy with a flat stomach not stretched by extra weight or children. She watched her diet and ensured that she kept to her exercise regimen, and despite being from a family of plump women she had a toned body most women would envy. She smoothed her hands over her rounded hips. She was definitely a catch. At a young age, Tatalee Hobson had made the decision that waiting was for the patient, and she had lost her patience on the last dead beat man whom she had dated. 

Then she had met Nick. So what if Nick was supposedly happily married? Why on earth would he be spending the last hours of each day with her if he wanted to go home? All around her she observed failing relationships and heard the tales of women who had stolen other women's men. Quite frankly, Tatalee was frustrated, because as far as she knew she was almost the perfect wife a mother, partner, friend and even prostitute in the bed. Yet time and time again, she lost her man to a dried up pasty prune faced girl who looked like she had escaped from Dovecot. She heard the beep from her phone. She hissed her teeth as she ran out the door. 

She didn't want to be late again. She raced to the bus stop and breathlessly jumped on the first bus she saw and grabbed a window seat. She ignored the lusty glances of the driver and filled her thoughts of Nick all the way to work. When she arrived at work, her mind was still on Nick, she was counting the minutes until she was going to be in his office again.

Tatalee sat at her favourite corner table in the small restaurant at Regent Hotel and took a sip of the cup of black coffee that she had just poured. 

"Tatalee, hello, are you listening to me?"

Tatalee blinked and turned to see her best friend Naomi crossing her arms and frowning.

"Sorry Naomi. What were you saying?"

"I said that I am concerned about the amount of time you are spending in your boss's company," replied Naomi. 

"So, what the heck if Nickolas Stern found my company more appealing than the woman that treated him like dirt. Listen Naomi my conscience was being muted by my needs and wants," Tatalee replied sternly. 

Naomi's bottom lip began to quiver and Tatalee softened her stance. She sighed and gave her an impish smile. She knew her friend just wanted to see her happy and cared about her, but this was her life, her decision. She also knew deep down that she could not fully commit to being fully forthright to Naomi. She knew that the moment she knew the truth, the predictable raised eyebrows and silent condemnation would be her typical response. She enjoyed their daily lunches and their relationship meant a lot to her but so did Nick. 

"Naomi, I know you care a lot about me, but technically that is all you can do Naomi is watch my life through the peephole that I allow. Finally, Nick gave me what every woman dreams about, attention, authority and with it comes power. When I speak people hear Nick and guess what Naomi, I like it."

"So, are you telling me Tatalee, that he has just given you the job you needed to replenish your accounts? That feeling of emptiness that you expressed to me is gradually fading just by the two of you working long and hard at his newest adventure? Tatalee, I think Nick has taken you to the mountain top and echoed the words of his father and his grandfather before him with charm and skills. Like vodka he crept through your veins and has kept you on a diet of confidence and seafood that has kept your tummy happy and your head giddy. Tatalee Hobson, I don't think that you can see the forest for the trees and to you Nick can do no wrong."

"Naomi, am I detecting a hint of jealousy in your tone. So, what if the long working hours and eight-day work weeks are a common place in my and Nick's crazy and impetuous world, with impromptu meetings that sprung up in the middle of the night," she replied. 

  "Tatalee I think you are slowly stealing Nickolas Stern one pound at a time from the life he had. Somehow I don't think that you really care about how he looks at this stage because visuals are only optics and perception."

"Quite frankly Naomi I could not care about, or desire anybody's approval to live my life. Besides Naomi which, wife grew their husband in a petri dish? He was likely stolen from some other woman even if he called her Mom. These are exciting times and we are trying to build, especially with Nick trying to negate the obstacles that were being thrown at us in the cut and thrust making his dream come true." 

Tatalee had to concentrate and not focus on the loneliness that gnawed at the pit of her stomach. Despite the incessant buzz of her best friend in the background that always attempted to break the trance, Nick was still the centre of her world. He had his hooks in far too deep. 

Naomi could talk all she wanted, she thought to herself, she needed a life where she was comfortable and happy. Church or school couldn't fill that vacancy. She was human and she wanted human interaction.

"Tatalee you have slowly ostracised your own family for work and Nick has become your very existence. I think that slowly, but surely, your lives have merged, that your personal and professional lives have become entwined with your dreams. Eventually, whether via mutual consent or not some, dreams became reality. Consumed by the passion of your new friendship both of you have blotted out the sounds of the people around. While you are supposedly 'building the relationship between two friends, carefully' try to avoid the negative consequences of eating in the same space where crap is being deposited." 

"So, what if Nick has been carefully fed me on a diet rich in the food that warms my heart and I relish the feelings of care and what I think is love? I am the boss's boss Naomi."

"Hell Tatalee what are you taking about? Love? I don't think love has anything to do with what is happening here, or better yet there. It's strictly a matter of convenience. I've known you for too long and I don't see the glow on your skin or in your eyes when you mention his name. What else has he promised you?"

Tatalee Hobson became suddenly quiet and introspective. Were the promises of Nick Stern sufficient for her to cast her foundations and build the type of life that she desired?  The voice in the back of her head was steadily growing quieter and quieter as the days passed. It was a dog-eat-dog world, as far as Tatalee was concerned, she had bills to be paid and right now Nick Stern was the best source of sustenance. No matter how disconcerting it seemed or sounded she was not going to spend one night under a bus stop or lose sleep because of persons with reprobate minds.

"Anyway Naomi, it was nice chatting with you while I tried to drink my coffee" Tatalee rolled her eyes. 

"We will talk another time." 

She watched as Naomi placed the empty paper plates in the bin and wiped the oil from the fiery jerk pork sausages from her lips. 

"Yes Ms Tatalee, be careful because no man makes promises for nothing or worse knows the implications of working with you that closely. With your mouth-watering wardrobe, it's hard not be tempted to touch." Naomi said in response. 

Tatalee laughed out loud, her chest heaved with each burst of laughter.

"I'm innocent Naomi, that is one thing I would never do."

"Hello Tatalee, it's me you are talking to, your best friend from high school, we have been through several battles, I know how deceptive you can be. Plus, as the months pass you are getting older and the things that were once firm are now being affected by gravity. This might be your last hurrah but be careful. I hear your words protesting your innocence, but your actions suggest otherwise. The taste of power and influence are still on your tongue and are being savoured. I hope you have a jacket at the office to cover that leopard print inner blouse. That push up bra must be distracting for any man." Naomi said dryly.

Tatalee smiled, "What's wrong with my outfit Naomi? Don't you see how hot the temperature is and the air conditioning in the office has been sporadic at best." She replied playfully while the corners of her cherry red lips curled.   

"Tatalee, you need prayer and serious prayer at that, you are up to something, but I am not so sure if you are even sure what you are doing. Other than that, you are becoming nothing more than a black widow," Naomi said.